Method for operating a water-conducting electrical appliance and water-conducting electrical appliance

ABSTRACT

A water-bearing electrical apparatus and a method of operating a water-bearing electrical apparatus having a water absorption element, an electrochemical cell, a dosing device for metering a conductivity transmitter-containing detergent and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell. The method includes
         conducting water into the electrochemical cell,   dosing of the conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell or into the water flowing through it,   determining a conductance of the fluid in the electrochemical cell following the prior steps, and   setting the determined conductance to a predetermined conductance.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of PCTApplication PCT/EP2021/083510, filed on Nov. 30, 2021, which claimspriority to and the benefit of Belgium Application 2020/5917, filed onDec. 14, 2020, the entire contents of both of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a method of operating a water-bearingelectrical apparatus and a water-bearing electrical apparatus.

BACKGROUND

WO2018226706A1 describes a heating device that can be connected towater-bearing electrical apparatus to provide hot water. The heatingdevice is designed as an instantaneous water heater and has a reservoir,a cold water connection, an inlet and outlet, a pump, and a hot waterreturn. However, this system is complex and requires a lot ofinstallation space.

SUMMARY

The disclosure addresses the discovered problem of providing a method ofoperating a water-bearing electrical apparatus and a water-bearingelectrical apparatus which are simple and require little installationspace.

According to the disclosure, this problem is solved by a method and awater-bearing electrical apparatus having the features of theindependent claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments of thedisclosure can be found in the following dependent claims.

The advantages achievable with the disclosure, in addition to areduction in the complexity of the system and a reduction in theinstallation space, are that standardized conditions are provided foroperating the electrochemical cell. The standardized conditions areachieved by setting the conductance of the liquid in the electrochemicalcell to the predetermined conductance.

Since water has regionally different conductivities, heating the waterusually has to be performed with different parameters. This leads to anincreased design effort, for example of required electrode areas andcontrol effort, to compensate for this. The disclosure solves thisproblem by setting the conductance of the fluid in the electrochemicalcell to the predetermined conductance, thus eliminating or at leastminimizing this design and control effort, since the electrochemicalcell can always operate under the same conditions. The water-bearingelectrical apparatus is designed to be compact.

The disclosure relates to a method of operating a water-bearingelectrical apparatus having a water absorption element, anelectrochemical cell, a dosing device for metering a conductivitytransmitter-containing detergent and/or cleaning means into theelectrochemical cell, having

-   -   a) conducting water into the electrochemical cell;    -   b) dosing of the conductivity transmitter-containing washing        and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell or into the        water flowing through it;    -   c) determining a conductance of the fluid in the electrochemical        cell following steps a) and b); and    -   d) setting the determined conductance to a predetermined        conductance.

The power required to heat the liquid depends on the conductivity of theliquid to be heated. By adjusting the electrical conductivity orconductance of the liquid resulting from the supply of water and theconductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means to thepredetermined conductance, the electrochemical cell can be operatedunder the same conditions regardless of the conductance or electricalconductivity of the water supplied to the electrochemical cell. Thissystem is particularly advantageous in regions with low water hardnessand thus low conductivity values of the water.

Preferably, drinking water is supplied to the electrochemical cell T inthe step a). The conductance of drinking water differs regionally.

In a preferred embodiment, step d) has

-   -   comparing the predetermined conductance with the determined        conductance; and    -   conducting water into the electrochemical cell when the        determined conductivity is greater than the predetermined        conductivity, and metering the conductivity        transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the        electrochemical cell when the determined conductivity is less        than the predetermined conductivity.

This means that the conductance determined can be easily adjusted to thepredetermined conductances of the liquid present in the electrochemicalcell.

Preferably, step c) has applying a predetermined voltage to theelectrochemical cell, measuring a current flow in the electrochemicalcell, and determining the conductance based on the measured currentflow. This makes it easy to determine the conductance of the liquid inthe electrochemical cell.

Preferably, the electrochemical cell is designed for a working area thatis above a conductance present at a water hardness above 14° dH, morepreferably above 17° dH, even more preferably above 21° dH. Thepredetermined conductance is preferably stored in the water-bearingelectrical apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, when the determined conductance is equal tothe predetermined conductance, the electrochemical cell is started upsuch that the liquid inside it is heated. The electrochemical cell isstarted up, for example, by applying an AC voltage to its electrodes.Preferably, the liquid is directed from the electrochemical cell intothe water absorption element during and/or following heating. There, theliquid can then wash and/or clean the water absorption element and/orobjects located therein.

Preferably, the fluid is directed from the electric cell into the waterabsorption element and from there back into the electric cell such thatit is circulated through the electric cell and the water absorptionelement. In a preferred embodiment, during and/or after heating of thefluid in the electrochemical cell, the fluid is circulated from a firstarea of the water absorption element through the electrochemical cell toa second area of the water absorption element. This further improves thewashing and/or cleaning performance of the liquid.

Preferably, steps c) and d) are performed during heating of the liquidin the electrochemical cell. This ensures that the electrochemical cellis operated under constant conditions during heating.

In a preferred embodiment, the conductivity transmitter-containing meansis selected from the group consisting of alkali carrier, inorganic ororganic acid, salt of organic acid, phosphonate, surfactant and/ormixtures thereof. The conductivity transmitter-containing means mayconstitute a part of the washing and/or cleaning means, then the washingand/or cleaning means further contains, for example, washing and/orcleaning-active substances. The washing and/or cleaning means mayalternatively consist of the conductivity transmitter-containing means.The conductivity generated by the conductivity transmitter is higherthan that of the water available for diluting the conductivitytransmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means.

The disclosure further relates to a water-bearing electrical apparatus,having

-   -   a water absorption element,    -   an electrochemical cell,    -   a dosing device which is designed to dose a washing and/or        cleaning means containing a conductivity transmitter into the        electrochemical cell or into the water flowing through it, and    -   a control unit configured to perform a method according to one        or more of the preceding described embodiments.

The electrochemical cell has electrodes in the form of an anode and acathode to which a voltage can be applied. Preferably, theelectrochemical cell is designed to heat the fluid within it when an ACvoltage is applied to the anode and cathode.

Preferably, the water-bearing electrical apparatus is designed as awashing machine or dishwasher.

Preferably, the apparatus further has a circulation system designed toconvey water from a first area of the water absorption element throughthe electrochemical cell to a second area of the water absorptionelement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the disclosure is shown purely schematically in thedrawings and is described in more detail below. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a partial flow diagram of a method according to thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a partial flow diagram of a method according to thedisclosure. The method is performed in a water-bearing electricalapparatus having an electrochemical cell into which water is introducedand a conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning meansis metered so that a liquid is present in the electrochemical cell. Instep 1, a conductivity value of the liquid present in theelectrochemical cell is determined from water and conductivitytransmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means. Subsequently, astep 2 is performed in which the determined conductance is compared witha predetermined conductance.

In a finding 3, if the determined conductance is greater than thepredetermined conductance, water is introduced into the electrochemicalcell to adjust the conductance of the liquid to the predeterminedconductance. If in a finding 5 the determined conductance is equal tothe predetermined conductance, the electrochemical cell is put intooperation in a step 6 such that the liquid inside it is heated. If in afinding 7 the determined conductivity is less than the predeterminedconductivity, in a step 8 conductivity transmitter-containing detergentand/or cleaning means is metered into the electrochemical cell to adjustthe conductivity of the liquid to the predetermined conductivity. Aftersteps 4, 6 and 8, step 1 can still be performed again.

1. A method of operating a water-bearing electrical apparatus having a water absorption element, an electrochemical cell, a dosing device for dosing a conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell, the method comprising: a) conducting water into the electrochemical cell; b) dosing of the conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell or into the water flowing through it; c) determining a conductance of the fluid in the electrochemical cell following steps a) and b); and d) setting the determined conductance to a predetermined conductance.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step d) includes comparing the predetermined conductance with the determined conductance; and conducting water into the electrochemical cell if the determined conductivity is greater than the predetermined conductivity and metering the conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell or into the water flowing through it if the determined conductivity is less than the predetermined conductivity.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step includes applying a predetermined voltage to the electrochemical cell, measuring a current flow in the electrochemical cell, and determining the conductance based on the measured current flow.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemical cell is designed for a working area which is above a conductance present at a water hardness above 14° dH, more preferably above 17° dH, even more preferably above 21° dH.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the determined conductance is equal to the predetermined conductance, the electrochemical cell is put into operation in such a manner that the liquid inside it is heated.
 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein during and/or after heating the liquid in the electrochemical cell, the liquid is circulated from a first area of the water absorption element through the electrochemical cell to a second area of the water absorption element.
 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein during heating of the liquid in the electrochemical cell, steps c) and d) are performed.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means contains a conductivity transmitter-containing means that is selected from the group consisting of alkali carrier, inorganic or organic acid, salt of organic acid, phosphonate, surfactant and/or mixtures thereof.
 9. A water-bearing electrical apparatus comprising: a water absorption element, an electrochemical cell, a dosing device configured to dose a conductivity transmitter-containing washing and/or cleaning means into the electrochemical cell, a control unit configured to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.
 10. The water-bearing electrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a washing machine or dishwasher. 